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FIG (Fédération Internationale des Géomètres/International Federation of Surveyors) was founded on July 18, 1878 at Paris by delegates of seven national professional organizations (Belgium, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Switzerland and Spain). Between the founding year and the turn of the century activities were limited, and between the two world wars (1914-1918 and 1939-1945) all efforts of FIG came to a standstill.

The first FIG Congress was held July 18-20, 1878 in Paris, France. The most recent, the XXIII FIG Congress, was held in 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey.

In 1954, an invitation was received by the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) from FIG, the French Embassy, and the National Research Council to send a representative to the VIII FIG Congress in Paris, France that August. Marshall S. Wright, ACSM Past President, was appointed ACSM representative.

In 1959 ACSM sent Past President Lester Higbee and Vice President George Bestor as representatives and observers to the IX FIG Congress held in Delft, The Netherlands During the 1959 ACSM business meeting held on March 10, 1959, a motion was made and passed recommending membership in FIG. The awareness of the need to participate internationally in the field of surveying and mapping, and President George Bestor’s report from his attendance at the IX FIG.

Permanent Committee (PC) meetings (now called Working Weeks) were held in the intervening years between the FIG Congresses. ACSM has participated as a Member in all PC meetings, Working Weeks and Congresses since 1959.

ACSM has hosted two FIG Congresses. In 1974 ACSM and the American Society for Photogrammetry (ASP) hosted the XIV FIG Congress in Washington, DC. Washington was again the site when ACSM and ASPRS (American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing) hosted the XXII FIG Congress in 2002 in conjunction with their annual conference.

NSPS and AAGS (American Association for Geodetic Surveying) contribute delegates to the NSPS Delegation to FIG.

2015-2018 NSPS Delegation to FIG

FIG Commission 1- Professional Standards and Practice

Delegate: Curt Sumner

FIG Commission 2- Professional Education

Delegate: Steve Frank

FIG Commission 3- Spatial Information Management

Delegate: Robert Foster

FIG Commission 4- Hydrography

Delegate: Vacant

FIG Commission 5- Positioning and Measurement

Delegate: Dan Roman

FIG Commission 6- Engineering Surveys

Delegate: John Hamilton

FIG Commission 7- Cadastre and Land Management

Delegate: John Hohol

FIG Commission 8- Spatial Planning and Development

Delegate: Vacant

FIG Commission 9- Valuation and the Management of Real Estate

Delegate: Steven Nystrom (also Chair of Commission 9)

FIG Commission 10- Construction and Economics Management

Delegate: N/A

Head of Delegation: John Hohol

FIG PC Meetings, Working Weeks and Congresses:

PC Meetings (*) were held annually between Congress years, replaced by the term Working Week (#) in 1999.